The Indian Army rolled out its first overhauled T-90 ‘Bhishma’ tank on Monday, taking a significant step towards ensuring the operational readiness of its armoured formations. According to officials familiar with the matter, the overhaul process involved completely dismantling and rebuilding the tank from the ground up. One official, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, “More than 200 assemblies and sub-assemblies were meticulously removed and rebuilt using precise machining and resetting techniques.”
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi attended the rollout ceremony for the T-90 tanks, which were manufactured under license from Russia at the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Avadi near Chennai. The army has ordered 1,657 T-90 tanks and currently operates around 1,300. The initial batch is undergoing overhauls.
The Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) at the 505 Army Base Workshop in Delhi Cantonment successfully modernized the Russian-origin T-90 main battle tank, renowned for its firepower, mobility, and protection.
Using customized machines and test benches supplied by the original equipment manufacturer, the technicians at the base workshop demonstrated their technical prowess by independently rebuilding and testing the T-90’s mechanical, electronic, and instrumental components. As mentioned by a second official who also asked not to be named, this has ensured the tank’s readiness for all-terrain operations and given it a new lease of life.
As the army continues to advance its technical capabilities during its ongoing “decade of transformation,” officials said, the successful overhaul demonstrates the indigenous capability to maintain and enhance critical warfighting platforms.
This recent development comes after India’s new light tank Zorawar, designed for rapid deployment and high mobility in the mountains, was tested for the first time at the Mahajan firing range near Bikaner. The 25-tonne tank was jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Larsen & Toubro under Project Zorawar to fulfil the army’s requirement for 354 light tanks. It was developed from scratch in just two years.
The upcoming trials will include missile firing. DRDO is expected to complete various trials by January 2025 before offering the tank to the army for extensive user trials. These trials could last 12 to 18 months, as the army will assess the tank’s performance in summer, winter, and high-altitude conditions before it can enter production. The tank is expected to be ready for induction into service in 2027.
Team BharatShakti
